c a l m
by hikari-aozora
Summary: somewhere between one storm and another [[contest entry]]


**-- -- -- - -- -- -- - -- --- -- - -- -- -- - -- -- --**

**c a l m**

**» **_somewhere between one storm and another _**«**

by _hikari-aozora _

**-- -- -- - -- -- -- - -- --- -- - -- -- -- - -- -- --**

Somewhere between the stars he could see at night and the stars beyond that, he ended up here.

But this was home, and who was he to complain?

Once upon a time, he'd wanted so much more, but thought it next to impossible. Then one fine day, he'd recieved, without warning, more than he had ever asked for. At first, it had been a mystery, but over time, it became a blessing, a skill, a trademark ... then a burden, a curse, his worst nightmare ... a part of him. And yet, despite all that it was, it had been his will, his iron will, and the strength of his heart that had united him with his friends once more.

Yes, once upon a time, he had been the greatest warrior in all the universe.

But Sora had been through enough to know that this was a far cry from fantasy.

This was reality.

**» -- - --- - --** **«**

Ah ... Destiny Islands. His favorite world by far. Home.

And, of course, where it all started.

They'd been building a raft -- he, Riku, and Kairi -- in hopes to somehow reach the edge of the earth and fall into another, when the storm hit. A fierce torrent of wind, water, and ground, the storm that ripped them from their homeland and tossed them aside, scattering them throughout the galexy. They'd discovered other worlds, just like they'd wanted, but they'd also discovered their enemy.

Darkness.

Not the darkness of the sky at night. Not their silhouette gliding behind them during the daytime. Not the dark of a windowless room, a closet, or a corner.

The sickly, spastic, slimy, possessive, walking, running, jumping, everywhere at once, barely there yet thriving kind.

That darkness ... the darkness they had come in contact with during the storm ... _that _was what they were fighting against.

And, oh, could it fight _back._

They were only three against so many, and one was destined to fall. Two fought over the third, both wielding shiny blade-keys, twirling existance and destruction 'round their finger tips. Light against darkness. Deep, azure blue eyes against striking teal and many, many glowing yellow ones. Both fighting for the same thing, a prize lying not so far away on a cold stone floor, not quite alive but not quite dead, deep in an endless slumber, drowning, drowning ...

Yet her heroes, rather than trying to save her, were engaged in a heated battle, one that had started as an argument over right and wrong, and had turned into a frightful, dangerous dance.

**» -- - --- - --** **«**

Kingdom Hearts. The door to the light. He was and always would be the key.

Twice he'd sealed the doors. Twice he had defeated his enemy on its premises. The second time, he'd gained.

But the first time, he'd lost

The first time, he'd stood still, mouth dangling ever so slightly open in astonishment and regret. Lowering his keyblade, he blinked, finally coming to terms with what he had just done ...

He'd just locked the doors, sealed away the darkness within, true, but his best friend was still on the other side.

What had he _done?_

They'd fought ... Sora had all but thought their friendship had ended ... and just now, they'd been on the same side ... how was that _possible?_

And where was he now?

Sora stole a glance at the weapon in his right hand, and his brows furrowed. It was all the keyblade's fault. If he'd never been chosen as it's master, none of this would ever have happened. The darkness would never have found their world ...

But wait. The darkness followed the keyblade ... and the keyblade was only answering a heart's call ...

And the heart that had called it had been none other than Riku's.

Riku, in all of his oldest-of-the-trio, stronger-than-you, smarter-and-wiser-than-you'll-ever-be glory, had willed the keyblade to his side as he'd dreamed of far away worlds. It wasn't the keyblade's fault at all.

It was Riku's.

But no ... there was someone else, still. Riku hadn't always been such a deep thinker, such a voyager. No, something else had sparked his interest in adventure, something, or rather, some_one_, had _made_ him think.

_Kairi._

So it was all _her_ fault, afterall.

But Sora couldn't blame her, and neither could Riku, nor anyone else who knew her. As far as Sora was concerned, she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Peering down at the blade in his hand once again, he swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment as he played the all too recent scene over again in his head.

_"Take care of her."_

Riku's words gave him an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach, one that hinted at the fact that they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time.

Opening his eyes slowly, the boy swung the keyblade up and over his shoulder, resuming his familiar stance. His head was held high and his shoulders pulled back with a newfound confidence and determination. Now wasn't the time for worry. Now wasn't the time to dwell in the past. After all, he had a destiny to fulfil, and a promise to keep.

_"Sora!"_

**» -- - --- - --** **«**

"Sora! Sora?"

The brunet sitting on the edge of the dock was too preocupied to respond to the sound of his name. His feet were dangling inches from the water, swinging back and forth in a constant rythm, his gaze fixed upon his left hand, in which he held a keychain in the shape of three black circles joined together. The keyring was situated around his index finger, and he swung it around and around several times in front of his face, as if studying it, but it didn't take a genius to realize that his mind was somewhere else. At the same time, his other hand, shoved deep into his pocket, was fumbling with a neatly-folded piece of parchment that had arrived in a bottle only this morning. On one side, he knew, was a stamp of similar shape to the keychain. The paper was tattered and wrinkled from being handled so many times, passed back and forth between he and his two best friends, each trying to read what was written on it.

A letter ... from the king, of all people. Sora, himself, had read it multiple times, his mind desperately trying to grasp exactly what it said. It just seemed so ... so unfathomable ... so unbelievably, riddiculously, totally and completely ... un_fair._

Why now? _Why now?_

"Sora ...? _Any_body home?"

With a blink, the boy snapped out of his daze, shoving the keychain into the same pocket as the letter with haste and jumping to his feet. It was then that he turned to lock eyes with the girl -- the _princess _-- in front of him, who was staring at him with her head cocked to one side, concern swirling around in those mesmerizing amethyst eyes of hers. Her arms were dangling loosely at her sides, slightly bent at the elbow, as if she had the urge to throw her arms around him in an embrace. But she didn't, and instead, settled for a question.

"You okay?"

Sora, a bit unsure of how to reply, gave her a quick, insincere smile. "Yeah ... yeah, I'm fine, Kai," he lied, though he prayed to God she couldn't tell. He _hated _seeing her so worried.

The girl seemed to take his response into consideration at first, staring at him intently for a few moments more, before she shrugged and let it go. There was no use pressing on further into the matter, for that would only irritate him, and she _hated _seeing him that was. Besides, they'd talked about it all afternoon -- the three of them -- and she'd questioned him several times, each of which he would reply to with the same reassuring answer and obviously forced smile, growing the tiniest bit more agitated. She knew her persistance annoyed him, but she had to ask. She was really hoping that, eventually, he would open up and tell her the truth. He _had_ looked _so_ close to tears, after all.

_So _close that it hurt _her._

Proof that their hearts were still connected, even if it was just a little bit.

But ... she didn't want to think about _that _right now.

Shaking her head to clear it of the thoughts, she focused on Sora once more, and though it was hard, and seemed strangely out of place, she smiled.

"Let's go for a walk."

**» -- - --- - --** **«**

Golden flakes of sand rose into the air behind each footstep, hovering above their resting place for a moment before gently floating away on a breeze. To the right, the briney ocean caressed the soft shore, darkening it in its wake. The orange and blazing sun was resting on the horizon, half hidden underneath it, casting an entrancing glow on the clear island water. The air was pleasant, not too warm but not too cool, and the wind carried the familiar scent of paopu fruit across the small island. It was here that they walked, silent for the longest time, both having everything, yet nothing, to say.

It was Kairi who finally spoke.

"It's been a beautiful day, hasn't it Sora?" she said, breathing in deeply the tropical island smells, her eyes fluttering closed as she inhaled, reopening as she breathed out. Sora, who was trailing closely behind her, muttered something quietly in agreement, his eyes darting every which way, taking in the sights of the home he had left a year ago, had just returned to ... and was destined to leave again.

Again, his mind wandered to the letter in his pocket ...

The girl sighed. "It sure is great to be home," she said, as if she'd read the boy's mind, and she chanced a quick look in Sora's direction, aware that she was bringing up a touchy subject.

"Mhmm," was his reply, his gaze still wandering.

"I'm just glad that everything's back to normal," the girl added, fidgeting now. When Sora didn't reply, she added, "I mean, you're back, Riku's back ... that's all I ever wanted in the first place, you know." She turned to look at him, only to find him staring at his feet, and then she continued. "It's so ... calm here. No more ... world-hopping, no more battling, no more heartless ..."

It was there that she stopped, realizing that the sound of Sora shuffling his feet through the sand was no more, and she turned fully around to face him. He'd stopped, too, just a few paces back, and was standing unnaturally still. It was almost as if he was frozen, stiff as ice in this humid place. Her hand twitched, rising a little in an attempt to reach out to him, but she halted as she heard the faint sound of his voice.

"There will always be ... heartless."

" ... What--"

"There will always be heartless." He spoke louder, more clearly that time, in a voice that did little to hide his emotions. And as his last word faded and his mouth closed, there was a flash of pale light that erupted from his clenched fists. As the light subsided, it revealed an object in his grasp. The boy was holding an enormous key, roughly three feet long, with the king's symbol hanging from the blunt end in the form of a keychain. The teeth of the blade outlined a regal crown shape, and the body of the blade was sleek and magnificent.

Kingdom Key.

Kairi's eyes widened in astonishment, her heart rate quickening enough to send a chill down her spine. The sight of that key ... that key that she had once hoped never to see again ... was somehow frightening to her.

"There will _always _be heartless," Sora repeated, raising his head so that his eyes locked with hers, "so long as I wield this ... this stupid key." He tossed it forcefully down to one side, sending a spray of sand flying away behind him. As it cleared, the weapon became visible, sparkling on the ground in the now pinkish light of the sunset. Then it vanished in a puff of gold dust, the traces of which zoomed back to Sora only to be absorbed by the palm of his hand once more. The brunet swallowed, focusing now on the patch of sky just beyond the top of Kairi's head. "And so long as I wield it, I'll have to fight ... We both will."

The girl was nearly speechless. Nevertheless, the almost undectectable tremor in her best friend's voice prompted her to question him. "Sora, are you--"

"No!" he snapped, his hands balling into fists once again, his eyes shut tight in frustration. "No, I'm not okay, alright? I admit it." He opened his eyes and ... _glared _at her. "Now stop asking me so I can stop lying to you!"

Kairi, completely taken aback, swallowed the tears that threatened to spill. "W-What's wrong?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Come _on, _Kairi. _You _of all people should know. _You _read the letter, and you _still _have to ask me what's wrong?"

The cherry-haired girl opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again as her words failed her. He was right. She'd read it, many times, but she hadn't believed it. Something about a war ... Every time her eyes had focused on that word, she would start reading again from the beginning, just to make sure she'd read it right.

War? But they'd _just _returned! It couldn't be. It ... it wasn't _fair._

Would Kingdom Hearts really call out to it's key a _third _time? Would Sora _really _be forced to defeat the _same _enemy a _third time?_

The idea seemed next to impossible.

Dismissing these depressing thoughts, she refocused on Sora just in time to see him turn his back on her, his head lowered shamefully. Her heart dropped, for seeing him in such a state affected her deeply. She desperately searched for something, _anything _to say to cheer him up, when he spoke again.

"Do you remember ... when you told me never to change?"

Kairi smiled, recalling the event, and she nodded as if he could see. "Yes, and you haven't."

But the girl soon regretted those words as Sora shook his head. "But I have," he said. "We all have."

"No," Kairi said. "You're still the same Sora ... you have to be."

He shook his head again. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Kai. Neither are you ... or Riku. We're no longer naïve. Sure, we might still be young, but ... we've seen and experienced so much more than we were ever meant to in our years, more than any kid is meant to ... When I said that I wouldn't change, I was making a promise I couldn't keep." He heaved a heavy sigh. "Change ... is inevitable."

Kairi took a moment to think about every word he'd just said, and came to the painful conclusion that he was right, so terribly right. She hadn't wanted to believe it, though she'd known it all along, convincing herself that change was a bad thing and that if she tried hard enough, she could prevent anything, or any_one _from changing.

But, for once, _she _had been wrong.

Taking a step forward, she placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "You're right," she admitted, "we've changed. But maybe ... maybe change isn't such a bad thing."

Sora stood, unmoving, for a second, adjusting to the sudden contact that had taken him by surprise. But then he grunted. "There's one thing that won't ever change."

"And what's that?"

"I'll always have to fight."

Kairi, let down, allowed her hand to slide off of his shoulder. "No," she said, "that's where you're wrong."

"And why's _that?_"

"Because next time, you'll have us."

Sora and Kairi both raised their heads simultaneously, turning in the direction of the new, yet familiar, deep voice. Standing there, not much further up on the shore, was Riku, his silver hair shielding one of his aqua eyes from view. His weight was on one foot, his arms were crossed and, strangely enough, he was grinning.

"From now on," he said, "we stick together. Where one of us goes, the other follows, no matter what." His arms fell to his sides, and he stepped forward to meet the other two, looking them both in the eye. "That was the deal, wasn't it?"

How could he have forgotten?

Sora couldn't say anything in his defense. He'd been so foolish, outraged by the fact that he'd been called to duty again, anger sparked by the fear of losing the ones he cared for most yet again. But in his rage he'd forgotten one important thing. They were all connected to each other, strung together by the bonds of friendship and the unique experiences shared with each other. That was why, after all, fate, though it had torn them apart, had always brought them back together again.

It was their destiny to face the storm together.

Finally, Sora had found a reason to smile.

**» -- - --- - --** **«**

At the far corner of the universe, tucked away within the stars that shone so brightly even in the darkest of night, past the ruling kingdom, the land of pirates and pixies, the town of ghosts and ghouls, the realm of cards and crazy cats, the world of sultans and genies, lies the tiniest, most seemingly insignificant world of them all. A lonely archapelago of sand and surf and sun, a tropical summer getaway, and one would think that was all. Yet, amongst the islanders were three of the strongest and purest hearts, warriors of the light, skill unmatched by others, but with power that still remained untapped.

As small children, they'd raced along the beaches as fast as their feet could carry them, oblivious to the evil that lurked outside of their homeland. Later, they'd retire to a hidden cave and scribble on its stone walls with chalk, whatever came to mind. A few years passed, and they sparred with wooden swords, leaping from treetop to treetop in an imaginary duel. A couple seemingly normal days came and went, and they were sucked into the abyss, forced to live a life they never wanted to live. A year, and they were pitted against each other once again, though this time for real. Weeks, and one was locked away, another left behind. Another year of searching, and finally, they were reunited, even if it was for only a short while.

Somewhere along the way, they collapsed into the island sand. There they slept, hand in hand, dreaming the dreams that they had dreamt not so long ago, calm and at peace, if only for a moment. Battle scars adorned the skin of two, earned by a year of fighting lost to darkness by the other until she had been reawakened. Two shared a heart full of light, and one held a heart forever tainted by darkness. An endless battle, that between light and dark, and yet they rested, undisturbed in the sand. They were still young, after all, with their entire lives ahead of them to live in the name of destiny.

Not children, not quite grown, but caught somewhere in between.

**-- -- -- - -- -- -- - -- --- -- - -- -- -- - -- -- --**

for **xsynthetic-smile**'s challenge

**» **_once upon a time, kh was a game, not a fandom _**«**

a contest of true fanfiction

**-- -- -- - -- -- -- - -- --- -- - -- -- -- - -- -- --**


End file.
